How to Plan a Photography Trip to Lewis and Harris

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The UK is home to countless stunning and remote islands, but surely few can compete with the Outer Hebrides for sheer beauty, drama, and tranquillity, including the Isle of Lewis and Harris.

This is an intoxicating place that will enchant and entice you back with your camera again and again.

With its windswept beaches, pearl-coloured shores, teal seas, swaying marram grasses, towering sea stacks, and megalithic sites, the Isle of Lewis and Harris is arguably one of the most photogenic islands in Europe – if it is not already on your photo bucket list, it should be.

Despite the name, Lewis and Harris is a single island divided only by mountains, with the northern two-thirds of the island forming Lewis, and the southern third being Harris.

There is no bad time of the year to visit, although expect the weather to be harsher during the winter months. In fact, the Butt of Lewis – which comprises rocks, steep cliffs, and a 121ft high lighthouse – boasts some of the windiest conditions ever recorded in the UK.

Although storms and strong winds bring their own beauty and drama to the Hebrides, for photography, I normally favour autumn or early spring, when conditions are mixed, and interesting, but not too extreme.

In the summer months, locations are understandably busier, although they never feel crowded.

Lewis and Harris provide so much beauty, variety, and choice for photographers. Given the right conditions, you can stop almost anywhere and take great shots, but featured below are a handful of ‘must-visit’ viewpoints to get you started.

Photography aside, while you are touring the islands, don’t forget to visit the remarkable standing stones of Callanish, the restored Gearrannan Blackhouse village, and I recommend driving along the ‘Golden Road’ that twists and turns along the south-east coast.

Finally, no stay on Harris is complete without visiting its famous distillery and taking home a bottle of Harris Gin! Enjoy.

How to get to the Isle of Lewis and Harris

Lewis and Harris are located off the west coast of Scotland, around 39 km from the Scottish mainland. They are the most northerly of Scotland’s Outer Hebridean islands. You can either fly directly to Stornoway Airport on the Isle of Lewis or arrive by ferry.

Flight times from Glasgow and Edinburgh are approx. 1 hr, while the flight from Inverness is closer to 30 mins. There are plenty of daily flights operated by Loganair.

Landscape photographers, travelling with lots of camera kit, a heavy tripod, outdoor clothing, wellington boots, etc., will favour taking the ferry.

You can travel as a foot passenger, but taking your car is the best option, allowing you to take as much kit as you want and explore the island freely while you are there.

Daily car ferries are operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) from Ullapool to Stornoway on Lewis, and Uig (Skye) to Tarbert on Harris. The ferry crossing is approx. 2 hrs 30 mins. Ferry times and frequency change depending on the time of year and demand.

It is worthwhile booking far in advance to avoid disappointment. Also, be aware that travel can be interrupted by bad weather, so allow for delays when you plan your Hebridean photo adventure.

Where to stay

There is a wide variety of hotels, guesthouses, Airbnbs, bothies, bunkhouses, and camping available on Lewis and Harris. When I run workshops in the Outer Hebrides, we stay at the popular Harris Hotel, which is handily located in Tarbert, just a short drive from the ferry terminal.

The hotel offers great hospitality and an impressive selection of Scottish whisky – over 100 varieties! For help finding the right accommodation for you, visit www.visitscotland.com and www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk.

What gear to take

If you are travelling by car, you can sidestep the weight limitation of flying and pack for all eventualities.

For landscape photography, carry the usual suspects: camera, ultra-wide-angle (in the region of 14-30mm), standard wide-angle (in the region of 24-70mm or 24-105mm), and ideally something longer too, for telephoto landscapes and wildlife photography. A 100-400mm is a good choice, being versatile but portable.

If you are a filter user, take solid ND filters, ND grads, and a polariser is a must-have. A decent, sturdy tripod will be essential. Take a head torch for those early starts and late finishes when you will be walking to or from a location in semi-darkness.

Regardless of when you visit, pack for all weathers – lots of layers and good wind and waterproof outer garments. Take good walking boots, and Wellington boots too – ideal for when you wish to capture wave movement.

If you own a second camera body, take it along as backup – the Outer Hebrides is a long way to travel if you later discover a problem with your main body. Always keep a charged mobile phone with you, loaded with a good tide app, like Ayetides.

The weather can change quickly on remote islands like this, so regularly check forecasts and windspeed – don’t ever take risks when shooting close to the sea.

Best locations for photography

Here are some of the top locations to head to for your photography endevours whilst on the Isle of Lewis and Harris

Luskentyre

Approx. 12 km south of Tarbert, off the A859, signposted Losgaintir.

Let’s begin with the most obvious location and arguably the most photogenic too.

This must be one of the most beautiful beaches found anywhere in the world. It is an inspiring place that will get your creative juices flowing and entice you back again and again.

Luskentyre is home to mile-upon-mile of white sands, towering dunes, and turquoise seas, with a backdrop of distant mountains. Drive along the little road to Losgaintir and there are several laybys where you can pull over and explore.

Regardless of tide height, Luskentyre always delivers. At the end of the road on the north side of the bay is a little car park close to a cemetery. There are toilets here too.

Follow the little stream to the beach and simply go explore. The dunes provide elevation and an exposure of 1/2 sec or longer will add some motion blur as the marram grass gently sways in the wind.

Or you might decide to shoot close to the water’s edge and capture the backwash of onrushing waves. This is a great location, sunrise or sunset, and somewhere that will have you practising creative techniques like ICM and multiple exposures.

Scalpay Lighthouse

Cross the bridge onto Scalpay, the road bends to the right. At the T-junction, turn left and follow the single-track road across the island for 4 km until you reach Out End car park.

On the east coast of Scalpay you’ll find Eilean Glas lighthouse and views looking out across the Minch toward the Isle of Skye.

Scalpay itself is a small island (around 4 km in length) which is connected to Harris by bridge. You can’t drive to the lighthouse, instead there is parking (Out End car park) for a handful of cars near the village of Kennavay.

This is where the trail starts – the walk to the lighthouse is approximately 30 mins. The path is well-maintained and mostly flat. This is a good spot for a dawn shoot, when colourful skies and golden sidelight will enhance wider views. But this is a location worth visiting in daylight the first time.

There are lots of potential angles and viewpoints from the cliff tops – with rocky outcrops, pools, and wave movement all providing potential foreground subjects.

Read more: How to Photograph Seascapes

Northton Saltings

Roadside parking off the A859, around 1½ km north of the Northton junction.

Northton is one of Harris’s worst-kept secrets! The village of Northton on the south of the island provides access to some of the most interestingly formed saltings in the Hebrides.

The low-lying grass area is frequently submerged at high tide and has been carved into a photogenic collection of tiny islands partitioned by a network of beautifully curved and bendy channels.

They can be successfully shot from the road, which provides a slightly elevated viewpoint. Better still, scramble down to water level and use a wide-angle lens to create eye-catching compositions.

Be warned – the channels are very deep in places and even in wellies they are hard to cross. Look for partly submerged stepping stones and use your tripod to judge water depth and act as a support when crossing.

A drone is useful for this location and will help you achieve the composition you want without the risk of getting wet feet! Check the tides before visiting, and on dull, grey days, consider shooting in black and white.

Seilebost

From Tarbert, take the A859 toward Scarista beach. You can park near Seilebost School campground. The roadside view is approx. 6 km after the Luskentyre turning, at the top of the hill, shortly after the school turning.

On the south side of Luskentyre Bay, you’ll discover Seilebost beach, once voted among the top 10 best beaches in the world.

Boasting pure white sands and aquamarine waters, this beach is arguably best photographed from a little layby on the A859 at the top of a hill just after you pass Seilebost School.

This must surely be the greatest roadside view in Scotland, as you look across the bay towards Luskentyre, Taransay, and the North Harris Hills.

This is a great viewpoint to photograph in changeable weather, as you can quickly dive back in the car if it starts to pour. Ideally, visit when it is mid-tide – at low tide, there is too much wet sand and no surf.

With a good pair of wellies, you can get right up to the water’s edge and capture motion blur in the receding waves.

Mangerstadh/Mangersta Stacks

Just before reaching Callanish, turn south onto the B8011, and follow this winding road for approx. 38km towards the west coast of Lewis. The stacks are not obvious from the road. Look for a small hand-painted signpost next to the road leading to the footpath and viewpoint.

If you want drama and towering coastal cliff tops, head for Lewis. On the western end of the Isle of Lewis, approx. 1½km west of Mangersta Beach are several larger and smaller sea stacks grouped together that you can shoot from the cliff tops.

Parking here is limited to just a few small, roadside laybys. If you are unable to park at first, visit the beach instead and return later when hopefully a parking spot is available.

A 10-minute walk from the car, over uneven and sometimes boggy ground, will bring you to the classic viewpoint, looking north. It is best shot with a highish tide, and a decent swell, as large waves and choppy sea produce more engaging results.

However, on the flipside, this is an exposed spot and in strong winds it can be difficult to keep a tripod upright. If you have spikes for your tripod, use them for added stability and don’t leave your tripod unattended in gusty conditions.

If it is windy, keep away from the cliff edge. This location suits a fast shutter speed when waves are crashing onto the stacks producing spray and drama – or creatively slow exposures if the conditions allow. It is typically best shot toward the end of the day.

Stac a’ Phris

The most direct route is to park at the Norse Mill and Kiln on A858 and walk overland northwest for about 1½km until reaching the coast.

One of Lewis’s most rugged stretches of coastline is Stac a’ Phris – a large natural rock arch jutting out into the north Atlantic Sea. This is not an easy place to reach, but it is a wild and dramatic spot worth making the effort for.

It is best reached from Dail Beag where the coast path can be picked up along the top of the shore. Follow the yellow topped posts up the cliffs and across the moorland. You’ll see the arch after approx. 2km.

If you walk from Norse Mill and Kiln on the A858, you’ll need to hop over a few fences, but Scotland’s ‘right to roam’ permits this.

Evening is best for photography, when (depending on the time of year) the sun will either set behind the arch or bathe it in late light – use a planning app like Photo Ephemeris or PhotoPills to calculate the sun’s position before you visit.

The coastline here is interesting and the cliffs and rocks boast some lovely textures that suit being included as foreground interest in wide-angle compositions.

But don’t get too close to the edge, and I would recommend not visiting this location in windy weather. ND filters are useful for generating more creative exposure lengths.

In conclusion

One visit to Lewis and Harris will not be enough! This is an island that will get under your skin and entice you back.

There are so many little bays and beaches to explore – not mentioned in the guides and photo-books – that you will find yourself constantly pulling over, parking the car, and wandering. There is a freedom you feel while in the Outer Hebrides.

But there is just never enough time to do this place justice with your camera.

How to Plan a Photography Trip to Lewis and Harris

How to get to the Isle of Lewis and Harris

Where to stay

What gear to take